A little over a week ago, our mutual blogging chum Alyson (of What's it All About?) posted the latest instalment of her fascinating series in which she celebrates every full moon throughout the course of the year - the one due last Thursday (June 28th) was apparently known to Native Americans as the Strawberry Moon. So far I've managed to miss all of the previous full moons in 2018 thanks to either inclement weather, work or simply by being asleep, but, on Thursday evening, as I wearily climbed the wooden hills to Bedfordshire, I glanced out the window and there it was, hanging in the inky blackness, very large and certainly somewhat unusual in colour. I grabbed my faithful point and press and fired off these couple of shots to capture the moment. Perhaps not so much strawberry, as tangerine!
I can't imagine that Alyson will use today's tune at anytime during the course of her series, particularly as the month in question has now passed. 'The Moon in June' originally appeared on the third Soft Machine LP in 1970 and featured a semi-improvised vocal by Robert Wyatt that alluded heavily to an adulterous romantic fling. This version, however, was recorded for John Peel's Top Gear radio programme and features a completely different, though equally rambling lyric from Wyatt, this time concerning The Soft Machine themselves, their contemporary pop-star pals and previous appearances at the BBC and on Peel's show.
'...so to all our mates like Kevin,
Caravan, the old Pink Floyd
allow me to recommend 'Top Gear'
despite its extraordinary name
yes, playing, playing now is lovely
here in the BBC...'
'...music-making still
performs a normal function
background noise for people
eating and talking and drinking and smoking
that's all right by us
don't think that we're complaining
after all it's only leisure time, isn't it?...'
Soft Machine - The Moon in June (BBC Version)
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6 comments:
Ever since I heard the album "Absolutely Free" (which my best chum Andy bought in 1967 - we were 16), I can't relate to any "Moon In June" songs without smiling. This is because of the Zappa song "The Duke Of Prunes", the 1st verse of which is:
"A moon beam through the prune In June
Reveals your chest I see your lovely beans
And in that magic go-kart I bite your neck
The cheese I have for you, my dear
Is real and very new..."
The lyrics continue on about June and prunes and builds to a climactic ending with Zappa intoning "This is the exciting part
This is like the Supremes, see the way it builds up...
Baby, baby, baby..."
It's great fun, but not for the nervous.
There's a look of the red planet about your photograph, that's for sure. I saw it sitting pretty low in the sky too a few nights ago, and I also thought about our Scottish Moon Correspondent. She does write beautifully doesn't she?
Wyatt is a one off, that's for sure.
A glorious moon - we are getting spoiled for fabulous moon shots around these parts!
We've had some dramatic moons up here too, especially with drifting smoke from moorland fires in front of it.
Thanks for the mention TS - Glad you're enjoying the series. I thought I left a comment here a couple of days ago, but it seems to have disappeared - Anyway just to reiterate, that is a great shot you managed to get of the full moon. I'm afraid mine have all been a bit rubbish so I depend on my friend with the great camera. I have however seen them all since I started writing about them last November - Just good timing I think that there hasn't been too much cloud cover. Next month it's the Buck Moon by the way.
I have believe it or not heard of Soft Machine and that is a fine song which wouldn't have popped up in my series, so good that you shared it. There is a song by Matching Mole however on my "posts pending" list - You'll probably know what it's going to be.
FurryBootsCityBoy. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with ol' Frank. 'Absolutely Free' is definitely in the former category.
John Medd. She certainly does.
C. Sunrises, sunsets and full moons invariably have me reaching for my camera. The results are never as good as being there though.
SA. I saw in the news that yet another fire has broken out on the moors. Hopefully the last.
Alyson. Looking forward to a hearing little Matching Mole on your blog - I can take a wild guess at which tune it'll be. Also looking forward to learning all about the Buck Moon.
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